Puberty and Body Changes

Puberty is the name for the years when a child's body gradually changes into an adult body. It doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen on a schedule that's the same for everyone. Some girls start noticing changes around age 8 or 9, others not until 13 or 14. Both are completely normal. Your body has its own timeline, and it isn't a race.

What Triggers Puberty?

Puberty starts when a part of your brain sends a signal to release hormones, chemical messengers that travel through your blood and tell different parts of your body to start growing and changing. You won't feel this signal happen, but you'll notice its effects over the following months and years.

Changes You Might Notice, In Roughly the Order They Happen

A typical order of puberty changes - but every body moves through them at its own pace.

• Breast buds: small, sometimes tender bumps under the nipples. Often the very first sign of puberty.
• A growth spurt: you may suddenly need new shoes and pants more often.
• Pubic and underarm hair begins to grow.
• Body shape changes: hips widen, and body fat redistributes.
• Skin changes: you may notice more oil in your skin and hair, and occasional pimples.
• Vaginal discharge: a clear or whitish fluid on your underwear, usually starting several months to about a year before your first period.
• Your first period, usually arriving roughly two to three years after breast buds first appear.

This order is typical, but bodies don't read the textbook. Yours might do things in a slightly different sequence, and that's still normal. If you're ever unsure whether something is a normal part of puberty, it's always okay to ask a parent or doctor.

Emotional Changes Too

Puberty isn't only physical. The same hormones driving body changes also affect mood. You might feel more sensitive, cry more easily, or feel irritated over small things. You might also feel excited, curious, or proud of how you're growing. All of these feelings can show up in the same week, sometimes the same day. That's a normal part of this stage of life, not a sign that anything is wrong with you.

Quick Reassurance

• There's no "correct" age to start puberty. Doctors consider the typical range to be anywhere from about 8 to 13.
• Starting earlier or later than your friends doesn't mean anything is wrong with your body.
• If puberty hasn't started at all by around 13, or starts very early (before 8), it's worth mentioning to a doctor, just so they can check that everything is on track.